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XTERRA Couch to Trail – When You’re Injured for the Big Race

By 5x XTERRA World Champ, Mimi Stockton

Being Injured Sucks. Period.

The final nail in the coffin happened with about a mile left to go in the run. Flying down the mountain, not paying complete attention to what was under my feet, I landed with my already inflamed foot on a sharp rock. The first couple of steps after that landing sent a shooting pain throughout my heel and Achilles. It felt as though someone had stabbed me with a dagger. I was faltering, hopping, trying to find some kind of stride and rhythm to get me to the finish line. I finished and finished strong, but the truth—and the pain—was swift and conclusive. Something awful happened to my foot and it didn’t want me to run. It wouldn’t be wanting me to run for any time in the near future. I was injured. Suddenly my trip to Maui, where I’d have the opportunity to defend my XTERRA World Title, was almost certainly a “no go.”

I overdid it somehow. Something went wrong because I pushed my body past its limit—I unknowingly overextended, overexerted, overtaxed, overworked it. Nothing about this is all that serious. While my injury might seem traumatic to me, it’s not really traumatic in the medical sense. Also, I’m not a professional athlete. No money will be lost, no career will be damaged, no sponsorship deal will be affected. Nor is the injury terribly bad in the grand scheme of things. My foot will eventually heal and I will run again. And maybe one day I might even be a better runner for having had this experience. I do not expect or deserve sympathy. But I do want to talk about what being an injured triathlete is like, at least for me, and I suspect others, and how missing the biggest race of the season – the XTERRA World Championship in Maui – is always heart-wrenching.

I had been in denial about my foot for quite some time. I’m accustomed to aches and pains that come and go and I usually dismiss most of them. But I knew going into the XTERRA Pan Am Championship in Utah that I was not 100 percent. In fact, I hadn’t been all summer long. The only times I allowed myself to run were during races. All the other days I was busy popping anti-inflammatories, getting cortisone injections and pretending my foot would get better if I just stuck to swimming and biking. I knew pills and shots were giving me a false notion that I was safe to race. Furthermore, these treatments were undoubtedly worsening my situation while prolonging my recovery time. Hindsight is 20/20 of course and knowing what I know now, I would have rested in July so that I could be racing in October. But I’m stubborn, bull-headed, impatient and I don’t like to listen to others. Since my idea of “resting to see if I get better” is two days max, here I am in mid-October feeling sorry for myself that I won’t be toeing the line on October 28th. Lesson learned.

If you’re taking the time to read this article you likely understand what I mean when I say running and triathlon aren’t just hobbies; they’re a huge part of my identity. These sports are how I play and how I manage my stress. When you are truly committed, regardless of ability, off-road triathlon can start to define you. You don’t necessarily mean for it to happen, but as you continue to improve in all three sports, meeting the new challenges you face on the dirt gives you a lift. A lot of the time you spend away from home or work is based around training. I plan my life, my work, even some of my vacations around races. It’s a tough adjustment to operate with this chunk of my life missing. These sports provide me with a continual source of positive reinforcement and feedback. Furthermore, the outside recognition of accomplishments by friends, family, and competitors stoke the fires of self-esteem so that they burn even brighter within me.

All of this is fine when you’re kicking butt, but take triathlon away suddenly and you can find yourself feeling adrift. Add to that the fact that running injuries are mostly internal things with no visible wounds, so you can’t see the healing process. This adds to the unknown quality of being injured because you never really know how long it will take.

Now my sense of invincibility is gone and my confidence has taken a major hit. I also have a bad case of FOMO: I’m convinced everyone is getting fitter and faster and better while I’m becoming a worthless sloth. It’s easy to become plagued with self-doubt. And it hurts to think about all my friends arriving on Maui, fit and ready to take on the XTERRA World Championship race. I’m definitely hit with a jolt of wildly irrational envy.

I’ve been given orders to do nothing but swim. While I enjoy swimming (sort of), it’s not the same as running and biking. Let’s just say I’m experiencing a major dip in endorphins right now. So not only is my brain producing less of these feel-good chemicals, all these negative emotions surrounding my injury and missing Maui become pretty hard to manage. I’m also realizing now how much running through the woods helped clear my head and keep me sane. There are days when I even feel listless and apathetic.

With all that said, I’ve decided it’s time to move on. I’m done being sad and mad at myself and I’ve swept up the last of the black confetti from my pity party. Rather than think about what I can’t do, I need to refocus my energy towards healing and getting myself back to the starting line, pain-free. My physical therapist is right. The process of healing is one long, painful exercise in delayed gratification. However, by staying off my injured foot, eating an impeccably nutritious diet (which, by the way, includes beer and cookies) and following the orders of my doctor and physical therapist, I have a solid chance of running pain and injury free next season. And more importantly, I have a real shot at being able to keep at this crazy sport for the long haul if I play this smart.

Stressing about any kind of injury is a major deal-breaker when it comes to the healing process. The more you stress, the harder it is to heal, because stress hormones interfere with the removal of damaged tissue and impair the movement of healing immune cells to the site of the injury. Not to mention, stress can cause sleep disturbances and further impair your recovery. I’m also learning about relaxation techniques to help me focus and to lessen my sense of feeling frazzled (hold your laughter please). Perhaps most importantly, I’m learning to listen to others and trust that they just might know what’s better for me than I do.

I’m still a triathlete. That hasn’t changed. But my goal now is not crossing the finish line first. Now, it’s about getting back to the starting line. I hope to come back from this injury both physically and mentally stronger. Almost every athlete I know has been in this situation before and I know I’m not alone. And so while you will not see me battling the waves at DT Fleming beach and coursing through the pineapple fields this time around, you’ll see me out there soon. And I’m willing to bet you’ll see me out there for many years to come.

The XTERRA Couch to XTERRA training series is presented by Sheri Anne Little and five-time XTERRA age group world champion Mimi Stockton of Next Level Endurance. Their new 12-week “Couch-to-XTERRA” training program is designed to do just that, get aspiring athletes off the couch, into training, and to the start line of an XTERRA.

Until February 28th

$675

$599

More and more pro athletes are now wearing Trucker style hats when they compete as opposed to the more common running visor. In 2013 Runner up Luke McKenzie was seen crossing the line with a new type of Trucker hat, one that had a foam front. Ever since that finish these technical truckers “foam” have been all the rage, and for great reasons! Pro really find these comfy and have discovered all sorts of tricks to keeping ‘cool’ in these truckers.

Structured Front Panel Using Foam is much lighter than a typical cotton front

Large wicking performance mesh internal band to absorb sweat

Standard Mesh side and back panels

Adjustable plastic snap back closure

Pre-curved bill

The mark of a great trucker hat is how good it looks worn backward and NextLevelEndurance Technical Truckers Foam look KILLER that way!

WOMEN'S CONTENDER TRI-SHORT

Proudly handcrafted in our own Factory in San Diego, California-USA using the finest imported Italian fabrics. This short features a 5.5″ leg length and a precise 8-panel anatomic cut that offers superior flexibility, comfort, support and durability. We finish the short off with a soft, comfortable waist band and two precisely placed hip-mount pockets for convenient fuel storage that doesn’t bounce when you run.

Manufactured with high-end Italian fabric that offers support and durability.

Soft comfortable waist band for optimum performance.

Two precisely placed hip-mount pockets for fuel storage.

5.5” leg length with Premium griper.

Concise 8-Panel anatomic cut offer a superior fit.

CyTech Italian triathlon pad for superior performance and comfort

WOMEN'S CONTENDER TRI-TOP

Proudly handcrafted in our own Factory in San Diego, California-USA, our aero triathlon top is made from an imported teflon treated Italian fabric, that drys quickly, provides protection from the sun, keeps the skin cool and protects against chaffing. This high-performance top is designed to deliver maximum comfort and minimal drag. The top is finished with two side-entry rear pockets for easy access to fuel, a 3/4 length front zipper and a gripper on the waist band to keep the top in place.

Fast drying Teflon treated fabric that provide UV protection.

Designed to deliver maximum comfort and minimal drag.

Carbon Mesh Back for additional ventilation.

3/4 front zipper.

Carefully designed side entry rear pockets for easy fuel access.

MEN'S CONTENDER TRI-SHORT

Proudly handcrafted in our own Factory in San Diego, California-USA using the finest imported Italian fabrics, this short features a precise 8-panel anatomic cut that offers superior flexibility, comfort, support and durability. We finish the short off with a soft, comfortable waist band and two precisely placed hip-mount pockets for convenient fuel storage that doesn’t bounce when you run.

Manufactured with high-end Italian fabric that offers support and durability.

Soft comfortable waist band for optimum performance.

Two precisely placed hip-mount pockets for fuel storage.

8” leg length with Premium griper.

Concise 8-Panel anatomic cut offer a superior fit.

CyTech Italian triathlon pad for superior performance and comfort

MEN'S CONTENDER TRI-TOP

Proudly handcrafted in our own Factory in San Diego, California-USA, our aero triathlon top is made from an imported teflon treated Italian fabric, that drys quickly, provides protection from the sun, keeps the skin cool and protects against chaffing. This high-performance top is designed to deliver maximum comfort and minimal drag. The top is finished with two side-entry rear pockets for easy access to fuel, a 3/4 length front zipper and a gripper on the waist band to keep the top in place.

Fast drying Teflon treated fabric that provide UV protection.

Designed to deliver maximum comfort and minimal drag.

Carbon Mesh Back for additional ventilation.

3/4 front zipper.

Carefully designed side entry rear pockets for easy fuel access.

WOMEN'S CONTENDER BIB SHORT

Designed for comfort and performance. Offering the same fabric, fit and construction used by our top professional athletes, our women’s aero bib short is proudly handcrafted in our own Factory in San Diego, California-USA using the finest imported Italian fabrics that offers a luxurious fit and durability. The short features an adjustable, front latch on the bib strap that allows for different size options depending on your torso length. The bib strap can be unhooked and removed overhead without removing your jersey for quick bathroom transitions.

High-grade leg grippers for premium comfort and stability.

Carefully handcrafted cut for optimum fit and better performance.

8” leg length.

Built-in adjustable front bib-latch for fit and convenience.

Luxurious Anatomic Cytech Women’s pad.

Rear mesh bib panel for additional ventilation.

WOMEN'S CONTENDER AERO JERSEY

Designed and tested by our top professionals and teams, our aero jersey is proudly handcrafted in the Wattie Ink. factory in San Diego, California-USA from the finest imported Italian performance materials available. The carefully designed anatomical cut provides athletes with premium fit, comfort, style and performance.

Our aero jersey was carefully designed to be used as both a triathlon race top and a aero cycling jersey while training.

Designed and tested by our top professionals and teams, our aero jersey is proudly handcrafted in the Wattie Ink. factory in San Diego, California-USA from the finest imported Italian performance materials available. The carefully designed anatomical cut provides athletes with premium fit, comfort, style and performance.

Our aero jersey was carefully designed to be used as both a triathlon race top and a aero cycling jersey while training.

Designed for comfort and performance. Offering the same fabric, fit and construction used by our top professional athletes, our aero bib short is proudly handcrafted in our own Factory in San Diego, California-USA using the finest imported Italian fabrics that offers a luxurious fit and durability.

High-grade leg grippers for premium comfort and stability

Carefully handcrafted cut for optimum fit and better performance

9” leg length

Luxurious Anatomic Cytech pad

Rear mesh bib panel for additional ventilation

Camp Cancellation Policy

Cancellation and General Policies: If you have to cancel for any reason, your deposit and additional fees depending on your cancellation date will not be refunded. Deposits are non-refundable and non-transferrable. Exceptions to this policy will not be made for any reason, including weather or personal emergencies and balances cannot be transferred.

Deposit is non-refundable

61-90 days prior: Cancellation Fee of 50% of original camp price

31-60 days prior: Cancellation Fee of 75% of original camp price

0-30 days prior: Cancellation Fee of 100% of original camp price

There are no discounts, refunds or exchanges associated with a camper skipping or missing any portion of a camp including, without limitation, meals, lectures or rides.

Next Level Endurance (“NLE”) reserves the right to cancel a camp at any time. If a camp is cancelled, you will be issued a full refund for the camp registration fee. Please note that Next Level Endurance is not responsible for the expenses associated with planning of your trip including and without limitation, airfare, lodging, meals, transportation, etc., (collectively “Your Expenses”) to attend our camp.

Camp will be conducted based on the schedule posted prior to the camp, however, in rare instances NLE reserves the right to modify the camp schedule based on and without limitation, weather and the number or skill level of campers in attendance.

All fees will be applied to the camp for which the camper is registered. If a camper has to cancel for any reason, the deposit and applicable cancellation fees will be applied to the camp for which he or she was registered and cannot be transferred to an alternate camp or any other service or product offered by NLE.

If you are not satisfied with your camp experience, please notify a coach or the camp manager as soon as possible DURING THE CAMP. NLA will make every reasonable effort to remedy any issues. Refunds will not be issued for camps once the camp has commenced.